Golfer&#39;s training rack



Aug. 19, 1941. BOTTs GOLFER'S TRAINING RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1940 I 171 517 UI'- Edward WBOZ'Z S. i2 M m Aug. '19, 1941. E. w. BOTTS GOLFER'S TRAINING BACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1940 irlldlardlzmvlfilvlllz WEOZLLS.

.HL E'IZLUF Patented Aug. 19; i941 I UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE comn's fi mc men mm W. Botts. Chicago, in. Application June 19, 19, Serial No. 341,247 2 Claima. (Cl. 273-35) The present invention relates to a mechanical body holding or positioning device for enforcing proper golf stance and more particularly to an adjustable, mobile training rack.

It is the usual practice in teaching golf to-instruct the golfer in the correct positions of his body during a complete swing of the golf club. Even though the pupil is taught to know every correct position, the execution of hitting a golf .ball continually varies. These variations are due mainly to differences in muscular reactions, and in the inability to maintain the proper body balance during the club swing.

To obtain and maintain a correct swing requires a shifting of the body while holding the head stationary andthe feet on the same ground surface. By helping the body extremities to maintain their relative positions, continual practice permits substantially the same muscular reactions and teaches the correct swing of the trunk and limbs together with the necessary pivoting. In other words, a golfers swing .is grooved and if practiced sufiiciently the same muscular reactions maintain the goifer's body in the same'stance when in actual play as when practicing within the training rack. a

Furthermore, instruction by a golf professional is usually expensive and unless the instructor is present continually during practice or the playing of an actual game, the same or new faults in swinging motions with a club reappear.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a means which self-teaches a golfer to hold and maintain his body in the same correct positions during successive swinging motions in making golf shots.

Another object of this invention is to provide a A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable mechanical device for instructing golfers which is mobile, inexpensive in construction, durable and highly eflicient.

The novel features believed to be characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side view in elevation of a device 7 embodying the principles of this invention diagrammatically illustratinga golfer with his head being maintained in position when the body has assumed a proper stance:

teaching device for golfers which is adjustable to suit golfers of various heights and reaches,

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical device for self-teaching the art of golf which requiresbut one adjustment by an instructor whereby the pupil can thereafter practice alone. V

Still another object of this invention is to provide a teaching device for golf which holds a golfer's head in its proper position 'during"the backswing and the downswing of a club without interfering with the pivotal movements of the body.

Another'and still furtherobject 'of the present invention is to provide a mechanical device for teaching golfers which does not interfere with the golf club during its entire swinging movement.

Figure 2 is a front view of the golfer and the training device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmental cross-sectional view, with a part in elevation, of a por-' tion of the device of this invention taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line III-III of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 1.

In general, the present invention comprises a tubular structure iii including a helmet construction II for holding a golfer's head I! in an ad justed position when assuming a proper golf stance and which permits pivotal movements of the body as the golfer swings the club ll.

As shown in Figure 1, the training rack ID includes a flat base I! of suitable dimensions and material to provide a sufficient support for the structure carried thereby without being too heavy to permit the unit to be easily moved around a golf training course.

If desired, slats or cleats I! may be provided on the under side surface of the base it to sink into the ground surface thereby eliminating shifting of the base when the device is in operation;

At one end of the base I! there is provided an upright standard it formed preferably from tubular metal stock. A hollow fitting llis threaded or otherwise suitably connected to the lower end of the standard It and is provided with sumcient transverse openings by means of which the angularly extending legs i8. i9 and 2B are connected thereto.

Each of the legs is formed preferably as a tubular member or a pipe having threaded ends,

the upper ends of which are connected to the hol-' standard it and their angularity is dependent.

entirely on theangularity of the street elbows used. As shown, the street elbows ii are of the 2|. L Similar. street elbows 2| connectthe lower ends of the legs to floor flanges 22 which are adjustment 45 type. This angularity may be otherwise if desired and circumstances will permit.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, a row of tapered apertures 23 are provided for a portion of the length of the standard it adjacent its upper end.

A substantially V-shaped supporting member 25 is formed of diverging tubular legs 33 and it having their convergent ends threadedly connected to a Y-fitting 27. The inside diameter of the leg 25 is sumciently large to slidingly embrace the standard it.

On the lower flange of the l -fitting ii there is provided a suitably threaded aperture for re-= ceiving a set screw 28 (Figure 3) having a hand wheel 29 connected to one end thereof and its inner end 230 shaped to complementally seat within one of the tapered apertures 23. This ar= rangement permits the V-shaped supporting standard it and to be held stationary in a desired adjusted position by the seated engagement between the set screws 2% and a'registered aperture 23.

At the upper end of the leg 25, there is provided an angle T or stair rail fitting 30. The .angularity of this fitting may be varied as desired. As illustrated in Figure 1, the fitting 36 is provided with a transversely extending hollow portion having an axis approximately 30 from the horizontal.

' member 24 to be adjusted lengthwise of the' A T fitting 3| is connected to the upper end i of the leg 26 with the leg being bent angular-1y to a position in which its transverse axis is in alignment with the angularaxis of the angle ment with a sidewall of the arm 32 for holding it.

in an adjusted position to which it is moved in an endwise direction (Figure 4). If desired, this set screw arrangement may be shaped similarly to the set screw 28 and a row of tapered apertures provided in the arm 32 in the same manner and for the same purpose as provided in the standard I6. 4

To present a more pleasing appearance, a cap 34 is threaded or otherwise suitably connected to the forwardend of the arm 32.

. Spaced metal straps 35 and 36 are connected to the arm 32 adjacent its top end. A helmet 31, preferably a football helmet or the like, is connected through its rim 38 to theangularly bent strap portions 39 and 40 by means of rivets 4|. The straps 35 and 36' together with the helmet 31 form the helmet construction II.

It is to be noted that the tubular construction of this device is'arranged to be adjusted in a vertical and in a transverse direction.

If desired, the V-shaped supporting member 24 and the arm 32 may be replaced by a single tubular member having an inside diameter equal to that of the leg 25 and shaped to define the same angle as the leg 25 and the portion of the arm 32 extending forwardly of the leg. Such a member would be adjustable vertically in the same way as the leg 25 but provision for lateral would be lacking. This would be unnecessary if the arm portion extended forwardly a sufficient distance to provide for necessary clearance with golfers having a long reach.

A friction mat $2 is connected to the base it 'adjacent the angular braces supporting the standard it. This mat is formed of yieldable material such'as rubber or the like to prevent the golf pupil's feet 63 from sliding when practicing swinging the golf club I3.

A T mat M, of yieldable material such as rubber, is connected to the base it at the end opposite the angular braces supporting the standard it. This mat is sufficiently large and spaced from the mat ti to permit a golf ball 35 to be teed thereon irrespective of the height or reach of the golfer and the length of the club is which he uses.

It is only necessary in the device of this invention that a golf instructor place the pupil in a position in which his body, including his feet and head, assume a proper stance 'when addressing a golf ball. With the pupils body in the proper position, the instructor adjusts thevtubular construction so that the helmet 3i embraces the pupils head i2. This restricts movement of the pupils head in upward and lateral directions.

With the pupil's head and feet maintained in the proper balanced stance, other portions of his body including the trunk and legs are free for pivotal movements which take place during the back swing and downward swing of the golf club;

It is to be noted in Figure 1 that the angular arrangement of the arm 32 is to permit a full understood that the invention should not be limited thereto, since manymodifications may be made and, therefore, it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mobile device for use in teaching the art of golf comprising a tubular standard having a row of apertures intermediate its ends, angularly extending foot braces on said standard for holding it in an upright position, a V-shaped member having tubular legs, one of said legs being arranged to embrace said standard for sliding movement therealon screw means on said V- shaped member having an end arranged to seat in one of said row of apertures for holding said member in an adjusted position to which it is moved, spaced tubular members carried at the divergent ends of said legs and being arranged in axial alignment, a longitudinally movable tubular arm extending through said spaced tubular meme position when the golfer assumes a proper stance.

2. A device for use in teaching the art of golf comprising a fiat base, cleats on said base for gripping the surface supporting said base, a tubular standard at one end of said base and having a row of-sidewail apertures intermediate its ends, angularly extending foot braces connecting said standard to and in spaced relation from said base,

a V-shaped member having divergently extending tubular legs, one of said legs being arranged to embrace said standard for sliding movement therealong, set screwmeans carried by said V- shaped member at its ends defined by the converged legs and being arranged to seat in one of said rowof apertures for holding said member in tion to which it is moved, and head holding means on said arm adjacent an end thereof whereby a golfer upon assuming a proper stance on said base will have his head held stationary while the rest of his body is free to pivot during a golf swing. i

'- EDWARD W. BOTTS. 

